Gotay Should Start

I know that I’m constantly campaigning for Gotay to be the Mets starting second baseman. I know that the Mets have to step up for Valentin the way that he did for them last season, but I’m constantly thinking that Valentin didn’t get the surgery not for the Mets, but rather for the simple reason that if he doesn’t reach 400 plate appearances.

If Valentin would have opted to have the surgery, it would have knocked him out for most, or most likely, the remainder of the season and there would be no way for him to reach that plateau. Right now, Valentin is sitting at 154 plate appearances and if he keeps getting rest the way that he has been, I don’t think he’ll reach 350.

The logical thing for Valentin to do is to realize that he’s not going to be reaching 400 and just assume the role on the bench so that Ruben Gotay may take his rightful place next to Reyes and Delgado.

Gotay is hitting .333, 3 home runs, 12 runs batted in and has a stolen base in 72 limited at bats. Put that up against Valentin who has a .243 batting average, 3 home runs and 17 runs batted in in 154 plate appearances. I don’t know how anyone else feels, but I think it’s time to sit Mustachio and put the kid in. It’s the only way to see if Gotay can assume the role that myself and many others would like to see him in.

Just imagine a core of infielders in Wright, Reyes and Gotay.